The Last One
by not bitter just twisted
Summary: The adventure is over, the dark had fallen, and all have forgotten-except Jane. How will she cope as she begins to learn the truth about what happened, and who she really is?


**Okay, so this is my second PULL story (see Profile for details) and I thought I'd do something a little... different. See, I always go with the poplars': Harry Potter, Maximum Ride, Pirates of the Caribbean etc. So this time I thought it would be interesting to do the Dark is Rising. They're really great books, and hardly anyone reads them anymore, so I thought I'd give it a go. The books don't mention Jane much, although it is hinted that there is something different about her. So this is set after the last books, when Bran, Simon, Barney and Jane have lost their memories of all their adventures...**

The Last One

Jane screwed up her face as Barney came in through the back door, his face, hands and clothes covered in a dark sticky mud that clung like spider webs.

'God Barney, you could have the decency to wash.'

'Come on, Jenny-oh I only just got back from the farm.' Jane nodded absently, but had already lost interest in her younger brother. Their trip to Wales had been interesting, to say the least, and that _was_ saying the least. They'd had many strange adventures over this holiday, thanks to one Will Stanton, but that wasn't the most puzzling thing about it all. Jane contemplated Barney quietly, trying to figure it all out.

'Jane, _why _are you staring at me?'

Jane jolted out of her reverie with a start and tried to hide her embarrassment. 'I... I was just wondering what you thought of the holiday so far.'

'Well you could have asked me, rather than trying to read my mind.'

'Sorry.'

'Yeah, whatever. In answer to your question, I have enjoyed my holiday so far, although it's been very quiet.'

That was the strange thing. Bran, Barney, Will and Simon seemed to have no recollection of anything that had happened, instead talking about places they had never gone to, people they hadn't seen. Jane would have thought she was crazy, except for the stone.

It was smooth, blue-green and seemed to glint in the light like the ocean, the same shade as the Lady's eyes. Bran had given it to Jane when their adventures had been over, and it was a constant reminder that she had seen things, things that only a few had seen.

And some had forgotten.

But there was something else. Although Will seemed to have forgotten it all along with everyone else, Jane could tell he was he was hiding something. Sometimes she caught him looking at her, or looking at Bran, with something approaching pain in his eyes, or guilt. She could only guess why.

'Janey, you're doing it again.' Jane found that she was once again staring at Barney, who looked at her carefully. 'You seem to have been doing that a lot lately. Are you okay?'

'Don't worry, I'm fine. Sorry. I was just thinking.'

'Yeah, I know. If you were thinking any harder you would have burnt a hole in me.'

Jane gave a weak grin. 'Yeah, I know.'

Not wanting to get caught again, Jane was about to run to her room when there was a knock at the door. 'Will you get that, Simon?'

'I'm busy. You get it!' called Simon from his room. Grumbling to herself, Jane went to see who it was. She opened the door only to see Will standing solemnly on the doorstep.

'Hi Will.'

'Oh yeah,' Will looked at her blankly for a minute. 'Hi Jane.'

'So...' Jane found herself heading into the usual awkward conversation that she'd had with Will ever since they'd parted after the Dark had fallen. 'How are you?'

'I'm fine. You?'

'I'm good.' Another silence.

'Bran is waiting for us down at the road.'

'Oh...yeah.' Jane had forgotten about Bran. The wild, formless albino boy had changed since the start of the holidays. After meeting his real father, knowing who he was, and then deciding to forget it all... it was impossible not to be different. Anyway, he was better company than Will, who just sad in morose silence as if in mourning. 'I'll get the boys, and we can go.'

They walked down in yet more silence, as even Jane's brothers recognised the feeling of something wrong. However, when they reached Birds' Rock the mood changed. There, sitting on the rock, was Bran Davies.

'Hey, guys. Hello, Jenny-o. How are you?' The question was directed at them all, but the expansive smile was meant for Jane, and Jane only.

'We're fine.' Jane turned to the grinning boys. 'Aren't we?' They made assuring noises, but Jane was sure she heard a snigger. This whole Bran thing was getting far too embarrassing. It would have been less so if she actually returned his feelings, but she didn't and now it was getting irritating. Blushing, she turned back. 'What's the plan for today?'

'Thought we'd go look at the green lake. Haven't been there before, have you?

'No, we haven't,' said Barney, at about the same time as Jane said: 'Yes, we have.'

They all stared at Jane in confusion. 'Don't you remember? When Bran had the harp, and I...' She stopped. 'Why are you looking at me like that?'

'Are you sure you're feeling alright?' asked Bran in a concerned voice.

Quickly, Jane realised they must have forgotten this too. 'Sorry, I just thought... it doesn't matter. Let's go to the lake.' She turned to them, and caught Will looking at her suspiciously. 'What is it, William?' She asked sweetly. He jumped, and Jane felt a strange sensation of Déjà vu: he had acted exactly how she had acted that morning.

'Nothing. Let's go.' Will stayed in front for the majority of the journey to the lake, his face screwed up in thought. Jane wasn't sure why, but there was something about him which always seemed older than his age, as if he had been here longer than any of them, despite being the same age. Jane fell into step with him.

'How has _your_ holiday been, Will?' Will looked at her, his eyes as sad as always.

'Okay. A little depressing sometimes, but otherwise fine. Why?'

'No reason. Why is it depressing?'

'All this,' Will gestures expansively to the dark, moss covered trees and tall Welsh hills which lurked in the background like naughty children. 'Don't you feel the sadness in the air, like something has happened, but ended too soon for the place to recover?'

Jane was about to ask him what he meant, but then she felt it too. 'I know what you mean. It feels like the whole valley is weeping.' Will looked at her sharply.

'You mean you feel it too?' Jane nodded slowly.

'Of course I do. But don't mention it to the others, they wouldn't understand.'

Will looked sadder then he'd ever been. 'I know. They wouldn't, not anymore.' Jane was saved from answering by the cry of Bran, further back.

'Oi, you two! Stop having a conversation without us.' Jane sighed.

'He probably wants to talk to me. I'll have to for a moment, but then I'll get Barney to distract him.'

'Yeah, what's going on with you and him?' There was an expression in Will's eyes that Jane couldn't read, but she had given up trying.

'Don't ask. See you at the lake.' And she stopped, allowing him past and waiting for Bran.

**What did you think? Yeah, it was short, and yeah, it was boring, but I promise it will improve. Okay, see ya!**


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